XVIL SPINE-TOOTHED MUSHROOMS, CORNUCO- 

 PIAS AND EAIRY CLUBS. 



In the genus Hydnum, whicli belongs to the family Hydneae, 

 the lower surface of the cap is thickly set with slender pointed 

 spine-like teeth or needles. These take the place of gills in the 

 family Agaricinese and of pores in the family Polyporte. Our 

 species of Hydnum are mostly rather tough, and the edible ones 

 are few. Only two are here described: 



Teeth on the lower surface of a cap, H. repanduin. 



Teeth on the lower side of flattened branches, H. coralloides. 



The spreading hydnum or Hedgehog mushroom, Hydnum re- 

 pandinn, is one of our common species. Its cap is more or less 

 irregular, often eccentrically attached to the stem and lobed or 

 wavy on the margin. Its color may be pale-buff, rusty-yellow, 

 pale-red or sienna color. The flesh is compact but rather fragile, 

 whitish and somewhat dry. The spines or teeth are about one- 

 fourth of an inch long, whitish, tinged with yellow or pinkish- 

 yellow. The stem is thick but short and often irregular. It is 

 whitish or at least paler than the cap, which is one to four inches 

 broad, the stem varying from one to three inches long. 



This fungus gTOws in woods or open places, on naked soil or 

 among leaves and moss singly, in groups, or in clusters. It may, 

 be found in July to October. 



The Reddish variety, var. rufescens, sometimes considered a 

 good species, having the name Hydnum rufescens, is smaller, 

 thinner and more regular in shape and more uniformly reddish in 

 color. It grows chiefly in woods, and nearly always has the stem 

 central. 



Badham says that the Spreading hydnum is as good as oysters, 

 which it somewhat resembles in taste. Stevenson says it is a 

 most delicious fungus, but requires about four hours of slow cook- 

 ing. Berkeley pronounces it a most excellent fungus, but one 

 which requires a little caution in its preparation for the table. 

 It is easily dried and preserved for winter use. 



One method of cooking it consists in first slicing the caps and 

 steeping them twenty minutes in warm water, then placing in a 



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